Last Sunday 1,350 pre 1956 vehicles gathered at the Adelaide suburb of West Beach for the start of the 16th Biennial Bay to Birdwood Run. The vehicles travel up the A.N.Z.A.C. Highway to Adelaide, around the city, out through North East Road to Tea Tree Gully, through the beautiful Adelaide Hills to the National Motor Museum at Birdwood, a total distance of about 70kms or about 45 miles. Crowds gather along the route to see a truly amazing spectacle. This year was overcast at the start, we were rained on when we left the shed at 5.45am, but what a great day.
My family had a ball. I got to catch up with Allan Bennett and saw his beautiful 1917 Charabanc, Ian & Jenny Denton in their lovely 1912 Mother In Law from Clare, Goef & Jo from Ballarat, Robbie Daltron from Melbourne, so many other people. My daughter saw her first Delorean in the museum, my son his first WW2 BMW outfit. Ah, the smile of a father to see his children finally see something with wheels they like too.
So many toys and so little time to appreciate them all. I hope you enjoy the photos...
When I saw the name Birdwood, I knew this had to be in Australia.
It looks like an incredible turnout of really wonderful old automobiles. I see Packards and a Hupmobile, I think a Cadillac, along with a bunch of those beautiful Australian bodied Ts.
Thank you for posting these!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Birdwood used to be Blumberg, but had to be changed in both WW's. After the war it changed back again. At the a outbreak of WW2 it was changed back to the English name Birdwood. After the war it never changed back to the original German name.
Another local town with the same history is the beautiful Hahndorf. Luckily the English name of Ambleside was changed back both times. I have attached a period photo of Hahndorf taken in about 1912.
A sad and untold part of Australia's history is the appalling way we interned "German" prisoners at the outbreak of wars and their harsh treatment. Sadly my state of South Australia features a prominent role in this with the Torrens Island Camp. In WW1 the treatment of German families was particularly harsh with recorded deaths at the hands of military prison guards.
Is that the Duncan and Fraser factory in the old pic David?
I would love to go to one of the Bay to Birdwood Runs. The closest I have gotten so far is the museum.
Manuel in Oz
Hi Manuel, Duncan & Fraser had an agency in Hahndorf with Jo Thiele, the sign is the advertising in the main street. I was give a copy of the top photo by a private source as it had Duncan & Fraser clearly readable. I was very happy to receive such a rare and unusual donation.
Imagine my astonishment when I found 2 other photos in the State Library of South Australia taken on the same day in May 1912! They will give a better explanation of the sign and the main street.
State Library of South Australia. B16968.
State Library of South Australia. B16975.The new Ford was registered to the proud shop owner and family in the photos of Mr. Johannes O. Thiele number #2223. I love these 3 photos.
The main street of Hahndorf today...
Yes they are great pics.
The main street looks quite narrow now.
Manuel in Oz